Thirty Seconds at a Time has all the young adult elements - there's intrigue, romance, curfew, sneaking someone's back, genuine curiosity that could be harmful - and on the adult side there's crime (lots of it), lies and mystery. The story is well-written and kept me entertained, the descriptions of skating and skiing the slopes let me wondering if I could do it, as they seemed so real!
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for the copy of this book.

If you're looking for a good YA novel for yourself or your child, then this is the book for you. This book has a good storyline, but as previously stated, it is a YA book. It is a fast-paced mystery/thriller themed book with elements of romance woven throughout the novel. Think Scooby-Doo mystery gang style cases. This book started off with alot of action scenes, some of the chapter lengths were rather dauntingly long. As the reader progresses through the book however they do begin to get shorter in length. if you are looking for a complex whodunit, and don't want to find out easily then this is not the book for you. If you want a quick easy read, you can knock out with little effort than this is a good book for you.

This book dives into the story of young woman named Kate, who sadly had to witness her father's tragic death and is thrust into a world of secrets and danger, the narrative keeps the reader engaged start to finish. As Kate navigates through grief and newfound romance with Ryan at a prestigious ski academy in Vermont, the stakes only continue to rise.

Thank you, netgalley and BHC Press books for the EARC of this novel.

3⭐️

A thrilling start leads to Kate losing her dad in an attack with too many new questions and no answers. The story then transitions into a budding teenage romance on the ski slopes of a private boarding school. The thriller action doesn’t really pick again until the 70% mark, but then doesn’t stop until the end.

This was a quick, cozy, winter YA read. The whole book is told through Kate’s POV and a straight forward timeline. I enjoyed this for being a YA book. If it wasn’t advertised as YA it would have rated lower due to the simplicity, but it fits for the intended audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Pub Date Oct 08 2024

This is a fast paced murder mystery with great characters, intriguing settings, and lots of action. The setting at the ski slopes had so many funny moments as well as a few scary times. The boy - girl relationship was perfectly balanced and very entertaining. The mystery was really well done with clues - but I never saw how the end would be.
Very entertaining.
Enjoy!

I read this book back in March and due to some health issues, I was only able to reach back to you today.

This book was so addictive! The writing was very fast-paced and I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours. It's a very difficult book to put down once you start reading it. This book is mainly based on the plot and doesn't add any other irrelevant details - however, I enjoyed the skiing references since they added a touch to it. I also enjoyed Kate's relationship with Ryan, it gave the book such a nice touch.

This book is an excellent YA thriller - it's a very crazy and unrealistic story but the book checks all the tabs: romance, suspense, thriller...

Thank you NetGalley and BHC Press for the eARC - I loved the opportunity to get to know Tracy Bilen as an author!

I don't really know what expectations I had for this book going into it but I was pleaseantly suprised when I found myself absolutely sucked into the novel which held my attention nonstop from beginning to end. It is no secret that i am an absolute sucker for YA thrillers that have secrets and twists and clues to keep the reader guessing.I really liked this story and class it as one of the better YA thrillers of this year!

Perfect elements of mystery and suspense. The plot is well developed and I was instantly hooked as I was reading the story.

I read this teen suspense/romance title from the perspective of a longtime middle school teacher and grandparent to a young teen. While it’s a short book, under 200 pages, the author packs in a lot of action, perhaps a little more than needed to tell the story- and some implausible events. But the crime angles, varied locales, and developing teen drama and romance all kept me reading. Thirty Seconds at a Time should appeal to teen and middle school girls through about age 15, in my opinion. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

First of all , I want to say thank you for such a beautiful book. I have been going through a hard time in my life, so this book couldn't have come at a better time. The story starts with heartache but slowly, it makes it's way through healing, resilience, friendship, love and most importantly, closure. The book kept me hooked because I was desperate to know if the lead characters got the ending they very much deserved. And it didn't disappoint. The story ended on such a satisfying note. Thank you 💜.

What is it like to see someone you love die and then be left with so many unanswered questions and secrets to keep? Kate has to deal with that and more in this page turner of a mystery that keeps you guessing. After her father's death, Kate and her mother move to Vermont where Kate thinks things will get better only to have her father's past follow her. A great read that I will be sure to include in our library collection. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This engaging YA novel offers a whirlwind of excitement and suspense, perfect for a quick read in just one sitting. Following the gripping story of young Kate, who witnesses her father's tragic death and is thrust into a world of secrets and danger, the narrative keeps you hooked from start to finish.

As Kate navigates through grief and newfound romance with Ryan at a prestigious ski academy in Vermont, the stakes only continue to rise. The blend of romance, suspense, and mystery creates a captivating atmosphere that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

While the storyline may stretch the bounds of reality, it delivers an immersive and thrilling experience that YA fans will thoroughly enjoy. With a clear heroine and a rollercoaster of emotions, this novel earns a solid four stars for its gripping narrative and compelling characters.

I love a good romance + suspense story! I was honestly surprised when this story turned from focusing on the romance of two teenagers at a boarding school to focusing on a somewhat complex crime. I think so many teenagers would love this story -- a little bit of "true crime" feeling, with the added bonus of high school love and drama.

If this isn’t the beginning of a great series, I don’t know what is!! I would love to see this story told from all points of view from each of the main characters. There is such great character development for Kate and Ryan and I’m dying to know his story. Please give us more on this plot line!!!!

Thanks to BHC press , NetGalley and Tracey Bilen for this ARC Of Thirty Seconds at a time.

This book had me hooked from page 1 the plot is basically about a young girl Kate who sees her father being killed in their home.

But if that wasn’t enough, before his death- she learns of a secret he tells her… and then the plot just thickens….

I’m not exactly a YA, but omg, loved this book and had to finish it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone !

Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this arc.

The story starts when our main characters - Kate - dad who works as a cop is shot and he leaves his daughter with a lot of hidden in her guitar case money and the promise to not tell anyone about this and burn all things. The girl and her mother move to another city after his death to start a new life but the incident is following them since Kate didn't listen to her father and she is keeping this secret alone.

To be honest it felt like a typical Wattpad story. We have teenagers dealing with police corruption which is completely ridiculous and for the majority of this book we don't even focus on this whole secret of Kate's dad because there is a teenage romance going on. I mean it was a fast read, and I didn't feel a lot of cringe but I will forget this book next week and there are so many better options to choose instead of this book.

A fast-paced mystery/thriller that will really appeal to YA readers. The writer creates immediate suspense and then steadily increases it until the very explosive end. The romance between Kate and Ryan nicely offsets the shocking discovery of clues and constant action, Ryan is a fabulous book boyfriend, respecting, helping, and loving Kate in a way that will make readers swoon, and Kate is a character made of strong ideals, good intentions, and a good amount of bravery. A strong story overall!

While this book certainly has elements of mystery, intrigue and romance, which are hugely appealing to middle school readers, it falls short in many ways. I find the plot to be predictable; the character, Kate, to be implausible and her reaction to several crucial plot points stilted and unnatural.. Her internal thoughts are frequent and distracting; her reaction to her father's murder cavalier and unsettling. The setting changes rapidly from her kitchen to the nurse's office at school leaving the reader to wonder how she gets there and whether Kate actually believes that her father is murdered or whether her memory distortion is due to the effects of formaldehyde from science class. The character Sean is brought into the plot without any real context. It isn't until later that the reader learns that Sean is her dad's best friend. Where is her mother when her father is shot? How does her mother get the box from Captain Ross which holds the necklace, a Christmas gift from her father? Why would Kate so easily believe that her father is corrupt once she finds the hidden money in her guitar case? It leaves too many unanswered questions.

As Kate begins her new life at a boarding school in Vermont, she strikes up a friendship with Ryan which soon turns into a romance. The two of them begin to experience unexplained events which leads them on an adventure to solve her father's murder. When Joe is murdered by Captain Ross, Kate and Ryan become fugitives on the run because Ryan is framed for Joe's murder. Ryan is a willing participant and doesn't ask questions again bringing implausibility into the plot. Their escapades take them to an address in Canada, but not before they get fake IDs, sell their belongings and car, and Ryan gets snatched. While all of this is unfolding, Kate's mother is lying unresponsive in the hospital. In the end, the mystery is solved, Kate and Ryan are forgiven for their indiscretions, and all is well again. Too many times I find myself having to suspend my disbelief. The characters are underdeveloped yet the romance between Ryan and Kate engaging. I wish this book did it for me, but I have to say it left me wanting more.

A really fast paced, gripping story. It was shorter than most, but that doesn't take away from the story. It leaves you guessing all the way through. I loved it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a decent YA novel. It was short and snappy with a good pace and several plot twists which kept the intrigue going.

Kate’s dad was killed in a seemingly random shooting in their hometown. He left her with a message and an oath of secrecy which Kate is determined to uphold. As she and her mum move across the country, Kate’s promise follows her, starting as a shadow of unease and grows unrelentingly.

The characters were likeable and felt sufficiently well-rounded. Parts of the story were entirely unrealistic but that added to the drama of the plot and it remained enjoyable.

This book was amazing! It started going right away and went full speed until the end! It was super intense and I could not put it down! I also really liked seeing how the main character's relationship with her friends and Ryan grew!